Grass and leaf packaging machine

ABSTRACT

A machine adapted to collect and package grass and leaf materials as it moves across the ground behind a towing implement using pickup means to lift material from the ground and direct the material upwardly and rearwardly to a shredding unit and then to a pair of consolidating augers which convey the material inwardly of the machine to the collecting means where it is compacted and packaged in easily handled containers.

[ 1 Feb. 15,1972

nite States mm Anstee [54] GRASS AND LEAF PACKAGING MACHINE [72]Inventor: Leon L. Anstee, Leola, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Sperry Rand Corporation, New Holland,

Pa. Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J. N. EskovitzAttorney- Joseph A. Brown, John C. Thompson, James J.

[22] Filed: July 22, 1970 Kennedy and George C. Bower Appl. No.: 57,248

ABSTRACT 56/169 A machine adapted to collect and package grass and leaf[51] Int. Cl. 39/00 materialsasit moves across the groundbehindatowingimp|e [58] Field 01' SearchM............,..56/34l 343, 364,202, 12.7, mem using pickup means to lift material from the ground and56/2 direct the material upwardly and rearwardly to a shredding unit andthen to a pair of consolidating augers which convey the materialinwardly of the machine to the collecting means where it is compactedand packaged in easily handled containers.

12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3,552,109 Murray et al. 3,229,320Cymara.m...........................56/202 X PATENTEDFEB 1 5 I972 SHEET 1OF 4 LEON L. ANSTEE HY ZX $1 K PATENTEDFEB 15 I972 SHEET 2 OF 4 LEON L.ANSTEE A TTORNEY PATENTEBFEB 1 5 I972 SHEET 3 OF 4 IM'EXTOR. LEON L.ANSTEE TORNEY PATENTEDFEB 15 I972 SHEET 4 BF 4 LEON L. AN STEE GRASS ANDLEAF PACKAGING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates generally to lawn and garden equipment and specifically to grassand leaf-packaging machinery.

The trend in recent years has been toward greater mechanization of alltypes ofjobs, especially the more customary and tedious jobs. One suchjob known to all who have a lawn to keep is picking up the lawn or yardgrass clippings after mowing or leaves in the summer and fall. Whilemany attempts have been made to mechanize this predominantly summertimeweekly project, there is still a great deal of physical labor involvedand the capacity of the machines have left much to be desired.

Many of the prior art devices collected the grass and leaf materials inbags which have to be emptied quite frequently at some suitablelocation. In the past, the easiest way to dispose of the accumulatedclippings was to burn them. Now, however, many states and municipalitieshave enacted laws and ordinances which prohibit open burning of anykind. Similar laws are coming into being in many other locales and,therefore, the need for some conveniently handled disposal packagecontaining these clippings is becoming increasingly necessary.

50 that the materials may be picked up by refuge collectors, they mustbe easily transportable in some suitable type of container. One suchcontainer is the heavy duty, all-purpose plastic bag which is nowavailable in most supermarkets and lawn and garden supply centers. Thistype of container affords a convenient way of packaging grass and leavesfor subsequent transport and disposal. The problem has been, however, toreadily adapt some sort of mechanized equipment to handle such bags andto automatically pick the material up from the ground and insert it inthe bag.

It is therefore, the primary object of this invention to mechanicallypick up grass and leaf material from the ground and form it into aconsolidated and compacted mass that can be easily packaged and disposedof in packaged form.

Another object of the invention is to provide interchangeable pickupmeans so that the material may be picked up by flail means or by meansofa brush.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary shredding ofthe material after it has been picked up from the ground to further chopthe material so that subsequent compaction may be more effectivelycarried out.

A further object is to provide an easily operated mobile apparatushaving quick positive clamping means'thereon so that the collectingreceptacle is securely held in place as it is filled with material andcan be subsequently easily removed and replaced.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from theforegoing and the detailed description of the invention to follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of agrass and leaf-packaging machine constructed in accordance with theinvention with certain parts which appear in detail in the other figuresindicated diagrammatically;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view taken approximately alongline 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken approximately along the line 4-4 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken approximately along the line 55 of FIG.3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed view illustrating a unitary, readilyreplaceable flail pickup means employed with the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating a brush unit as a pickupmeans which may be readily applied to replace the flail unit of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an end view of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view of a modification of the compressionauger.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIMARY EMBODIMENT The mobile grass and leaf-packagingapparatus of the present invention comprises, in general, a housing orcasing I5 mounted on rearwardly disposed wheels I6 and a forwardlydisposed roller I7, a main flail pickup 18, a shredder unit I9, a pairof transverse consolidating augers 20, a compression auger 21, acylindrical housing or tube 22 in which the compression auger is mountedand in which a compression chamber 23 is formed, a disposable receptaclecontainer 24 for receiving the compacted, shredded material from thecompression auger 21, a cylindrical clamping element 25 for firmlyclamping the bag in place, a drive system, indicated generally bynumeral 26, a power source for the apparatus, such as a gasoline engine27 or the like, and a hitch 28 for attachment of the equipment to atowing tractor or other type vehicle. By this method of construction itwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art that a primemover is necessary to move this apparatus across the ground, but powerto operate the various elements of the apparatus are supplied by selfcontained power source 27.

In FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the grass and leaf-packaging machineis illustrated in its operative position, i.e., with the roller I7placed in ground contact by means of control handle 30. The controlhandle 30 is pivoted at 31 on a frame member 32 of the apparatus. Thisframe member 32 extends rearwardly where it is connected to theapparatus casing 15 and forwardly to the hitch position 28 whichprovides the connection of the apparatus to the towing vehicle to makethe apparatus mobile. The control handle 30 is connected to casing 15 bymeans of a link member 33, a bellcrank 34, a transverse- Iy extendingshaft 35, arms 36 fixed to both ends of a shaft 35, and a link 38pivotally connected to arms 36 at 37 and to the casing or housing at 39.A lever 5 for controlling the throttle of the engine 27 is mounted onthe control handle 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The roller 17 isadapted to be adjusted for various ground contours so that the operativeheight of the machine may be varied by means of adjusting screws 29which are disposed at either side of the rollers 17.

When it is desired to transport the apparatus from one place to anotherwith the operating units idle, the control handle 30 is moved forwardlyto raise the transversely extending roller 17 above the ground. Itshould be noted, that in this position of the control handle, thebellcrank 34 and the arms and links 36 and 38, respectively, are shiftedto an overcenter position which locks the apparatus in the transportposition until the lever 30 is again activated.

Before describing the grass and leaf-packaging machine in detail, thefunction of the various components of the apparatus will be brieflydescribed.

With the engine running, the packaging device is towed along behind atractor or other suitable vehicle and the grass and leaf material isdrawn up into casing 15 by the pickup means 18 or 49 and then it isdirected upwardly and rearwardly to the auxiliary booster shredder unit19 where the material is further chopped and the picked-up particles arefurther reduced in size. From the shredding unit 19, the material isdirected into the consolidating means which is comprised of a pair oftransversely disposed augers 20,20 which feed the chopped materialinwardly of the machine casing 15 toward and into the entrance orinboard ed of the centrally disposed consolidating means which includesthe compression chamber 23. The consolidating means further comprises arearwardly disposed compacting auger 21 which feeds the materialrearwardly and tightly compresses the material into a suitabledisposable bag or container 24. When the bag is full of tightlycompressed material, the torque on the compacting auger drive increasesto the point where a friction clutch 40, of any suitable known type,associated with the output shaft of the engine will begin to slip. Atthis point the machine must be stopped and the full bag removed from themachine. This is done quickly and easily by means of therelease-clamping means 25 so that the full bag is removed and a newempty bag inserted in its place.

The main flail unit 18 is rotatably mounted in the casing by means ofbearings 41,41 and the unit is comprised of a transversely extendingshaft 42, a plurality of blocks 43, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, which aresecured in spaced apart relation along shaft 42 by means of pins 43a,longitudinally extending channel members 44,44 secured to adjacentblocks 43, as shown in the figures, by bolts 45, and a multiplicity offlail elements 46 mounted for free-swinging movement on iongitudinallyextending rods 47,47 carried by channel members 44,44. The flails 46 aremounted in spaced-apart relation along shaft 47 by means of spacer units48. It should be noted, that in the various figures, the flail members46 are shown in the position that they assume when the flail shaft isrotating and the machine is in its operative position.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, those skilled in the artwill realize that the flail pickup unit 18 includes four sets ofunitary, readily removable flails, each set comprising a channel member44, flail rods 47, flails 46 and spacer collars 48. This construction isadvantageous in that the sets can be readily removed for replacement inthe event of wear or breakage during normal operation by merely movingthe two securing bolts 45,45. This unitary construction also simplifiesthe assembly operations when the machine is initially put together.

An alternate pickup means 49 may be easily substituted for the flailpickup means 18 under certain operative conditions and when it isdesired to package certain kinds of material. The alternate pickup means49 comprises a plurality of brush elements 50, as shown in FIGS. 8 and9, formed in strip fashion and having holds 51,51 disposed in the stripand spacedapart relation at a distance which corresponds to the spacingof the bolts 45,45, shown in FIG. 6. With this means of construction,the equipment can be easily and quickly converted from the flailoperation to a brushing operation by means of the removal of the bolts45 and exchanging parts.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, the auxiliary shreddingunit 19 includes a transversely extending hexagonal shaft 55 which isrotatably mounted in casing 15 by bearings 56,56, a plurality ofradially disposed rotating shredder blades 57 secured on shaft 55 inlongitudinally spaced-apart relation and an upper transverse bar 58having a plurality of downwardly extending comb or teeth members 59which are spaced to correspond with the spacing of blades 57 and to bepositioned therebetween. The bar 58 is detachably secured to the casingby means of wingnuts 60 so that it may be readily replaced.

It will be seen, upon inspection of FIG. 3, that the casing 15 isprovided with inner walls or partitions 61, 62 and 63 to provide theproper passage and guidance of material from the flail unit through theshredder unit 19 toward compression chamber 23. Also, to effectivelyguide the material, the outer wall 64 of casing 15 has a curved contour.This curved portion 64 is preferably in the form of a removable accesscover fitting in a clip 65 fixed at the bottom of the machine andfastened securely in place at the top by the wingnut 60.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 3 and 5, the consolidating means iscomprised of the transversely disposed augers 20,20, rotatably mountedshafts 70 and auger flighting 71. The auger flighting 71 is such thatwhen viewed in FIG. 5, the right-handed auger carries a left-handedflight and the lefthanded auger carries a righthanded flight so that thematerial is fed inwardly from the sidewalls of the casing 15 toward anopening formed in contoured floor pan 73,73 which is disposed beneathaugers 20,20. The opening formed in the floor pan is disposed centrallyof the machine casing directly above the inboard end of the compressionchamber 23. The shafts 70,70 of the augers are rotatably cantilevermounted and double bearings 72,72 supported in the sidewalls of thecasing structure. It is also contemplated, in some instances, to providea single continuous transverse auger extending from sidewall to sidewallof the casing and having rightand lefthand flights as above described,in which case the auger would be mounted sufficiently high so that theshaft would clear the flights of the compacting auger 21.

The rearwardly extending, centrally disposed collecting means of thismobile apparatus is comprised of a compression or compacting auger 21which includes a tubular core member 75 and double auger flighting76,76, an enlarged slug 77, an output shaft 78, a worm gear unit 79, acylindrical housing 22, the clamping element 25 and the disposablecontainer or bag 24. The inboard end of the central core 75 ofcompression auger 21 is secured to the enlarged slug 77. The slug 77 isof appreciable length and is secured to the output shaft 78 of the wormgear drive unit 79. The worm gear unit 79 is rigidly mounted on supports80 of the casing structure. Thus, a rugged cantilever mounting isprovided for the compression auger.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the bag-clamping and supporting structureincludes a disposable or other suitable type throwaway bag 24 which maybe either readily available polyethylene or heavy paper bag, a clampingdevice 25 in the fonn of a cylindrical clamping ring having a flaredportion 86 at one end thereof, a plurality of diagonal slots 87, a ring88 comprised of resilient material such as commercial V belting securedto the periphery of the auger housing 22 at a point adjacent to theclamping ring 85, rollers 89 operating in the diagonal slots 87 andcarried by brackets 90 secured on cylindrical housing 22 at evenlyspaced points, and an operating handle 91 for oscillating the clampingring 85.

When the clamping ring is oscillated in one direction, to the positionshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flared portion 86 of the clamping ring 85firmly engages and clamps the open end por tion 92 of the containerbetween the flare and resilient ring 86. ln this manner, the disposablecontainer is able to resist the forces resulting from the tightlycompressed material being forced into it by a compression auger 21. Bysimply oscillating the handle 91 in the opposite direction the filledbag is freed and can be removed and replaced by an empty one.

While the machine is in its operable condition moving forwardly over theground behind the towed vehicle, the bag is supported by a rearwardlyextending tray 93 which is pivotally mounted at 94 on a frame member 95which extends rearwardly from casing 15. The tray can be adjusted to aplurality of desired angles by means of a chain 96 which is releasablyanchored in a bayonet-type clip 97 in a known manner. The tray and thechain support are clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The drive system 26 of the apparatus includes a friction clutch 38disposed on the engine output shaft and a drive pulley 100 on the engineoutput shaft drivingly connected to the shredder unit 19 by means of abelt 101 and pulley 102. The input shaft of the worm gear unit 79 isdriven by belt 101 turning pulley 103. The left-hand transverse auger 20is also driven by belt 101 through the larger pulley 104 of a compoundpulley unit 105. Driving force is transmitted from the smaller pulley106 of compound pulley to the pickup unit by means of a belt 107 andpulley 108. The right-hand transverse auger 20 is driven by means of apulley 109 on the shredder shaft 55, belt 110 and pulley 111 on theright-hand auger shaft 70. It should be noted that in order to have thecomplete drive system appear in FIG. 3, the pulley 109, belt 110 andpulley 111 are indicated in a dot-dash lines since they are located infront of the plane of the section.

In FIG. 10, a modified form of the compression auger 21 is illustratedin which an outwardly flared cone 115 is provided at the discharge endof the auger as an aid in effectively distributing the material as itpasses into the bag. This construction is of particular advantage whenthe apparatus is being used to package wet materials.

in operation, the apparatus is attached to a towing implement and theengine 27 is started to provide motive power to the various elements ofthe machine. Lever 30 is activated to place the machine in the operativeposition and the appropriate pickup means, either the flail unit 18 orthe brush unit 49, is installed in the machine and the machine is drawnforwardly over the ground. When the flail unit is used, the flails severand lift material from the ground upwardly into the machine and directthe material toward the consolidating means. As the material is movingtoward the consolidating means it is first intercepted by the shreddingunit 19 where it is further reduced and chopped and then it is feddirectly into the consolidating augers which move the material inwardlytoward the opening in the pan 73. Because the collecting means isdisposed below the opening and because the opening of the collectingmeans corresponds to the opening in the pan, all the material is fedinto the collecting means and then rearwardly by the compacting augerinto the disposable container. The container 24 is connected to theapparatus by means ofa clamping means 25. Actuation of handle 91 on theclamping means 25 causes the clamping means to rotate in one directionor the other so that the flared portion 86 and the resilient ring 88either grasp the forward edge of the container therebetween to hold itin place or they release it so that the container may be removed.

While this invention has been described in connection with severalembodiments thereof, it will be understood that these embodiments arecapable of modification and that this application is intended to coverany variations, uses, or adaptations following, in general, theprinciples of the invention and including such departures from thepresent disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in theart to which the invention pertains, and as falls in the scope of theinvention or the limits of the appended claims.

What i claim is:

1. Mobile apparatus for collecting grass and leaf material comprising,in combination, a housing; pickup means mounted in said housing forlifting materialfrom the ground as the apparatus moves thereacross anddirecting the material upwardly therefrom; shredding means disposedgenerally above said pickup means for receiving material therefrom, saidshredding means having a plurality of stationary blades and a pluralityof shredder blades mounted on a transversely extending shaft rotatablymounted in said housing, said blades mounted on said shaft beingcooperative with said stationary blades for shredding the crop material;consolidating means disposed adjacent said shredding means and adaptedto receive material therefrom and comprising a transversely extendingpan having an opening disposed centrally therein and a pair of augersrotatably mounted in said housing above said pan for moving materialinwardly toward said central opening; and collecting means including arearwardly extending tube having an opening at the inner end thereofcoextensive with the opening in said pan, a compacting auger rotatablymounted in said tube and packaging means disposed about the outer end ofsaid tube for receiving the compacted material.

2. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said pickup meanscomprises a plurality of flail elements rotatably about a shaft mountedin said housing to sever and lift material from the ground.

3. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said pickup meanscomprises brush elements rotatable about a shaft mounted in said housingfor lifting material from the ground.

4. A grass and leaf-packaging machine adapted to pick up and packagegrass, leaves, and other similar material, comprising in combination: awheel-supported housing; hitch means extending forwardly of said housingfor attaching said machine to a prime mover; pickup means rotatablymounted in said housing for lifting material from the ground anddirecting the material to shredding means disposed in said housingupwardly and rearwardly of said pickup means, said shredding meanscomprising a plurality of stationary blades and a plurality of shreddingblades mounted on a transversely extending shaft rotatably mounted insaid housing; consolidating means disposed rearwardly of said shreddingmeans for receiving shredded material therefrom and conveying thematerial inwardly of said housin said consolidatin means being disposedtransversely tot edirection of trave of said machine and comprising apan mounted in said housing and extending inwardly therefrom, said panhaving a central opening therein and a pair of augers rotatably mountedin said housing about said pan for moving material inwardly towards thecentral opening of said pan; collecting means extending rearwardly fromsaid housing and disposed below the central opening in said pan, wherebymaterial is delivered by said consolidating augers to the opening insaid pan and into said collecting means where the material is compactedand packaged, said collecting means comprising a rearwardly extendingtube having an opening at the inner end thereof coextensive with theopening in said pan, a compacting auger rotatably mounted in said tube,and packaging means connected to the outer end of said tube and clampingmeans on said tube for releasably connecting said packaging means tosaid tube.

5. A grass and leaf-packaging machine, as recited in claim 4, whereinsaid pickup means comprises a plurality of flail elements mounted forrotation with a transversely extending shaft rotatably mounted in saidhousing, said flail elements severing and lifting material from theground for delivery to said shredding means.

6. A grass and leaf-packaging machine, as recited in claim 4, whereinsaid pickup means comprises a plurality of brush elements rotatablymounted on a transversely extending shaft.

7. Mobile apparatus for collecting grass and leaf material comprising,in combination, a wheel-supported housing, pickup means rotatablymounted in a forward portion of said housing for lifting material fromthe ground as the apparatus moves thereacross and delivering thematerial to shredding means disposed in said housing upwardly andrearwardly of said pickup means, said shredding means comprising aplurality of stationary blades and a plurality of shredder bladesmounted on a transversely extending shaft rotatably mounted in saidhousing, consolidating means disposed rearwardly of said shredding meansfor receiving shredded material therefrom and conveying the materialinwardly of said housing for delivery to a rearwardly extendingcollecting means wherein the material is compacted and packaged.

8. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said consolidatingmeans is disposed transversely to the direction of travel of saidapparatus over the ground and comprises a pan mounted in said housingand extending inwardly therefrom, said pan having a central openingtherein, and a pair of augers rotatably mounted in said housing abovesaid pan for moving material inwardly toward the central opening of saidpan.

9. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 8, wherein said collectingmeans extends rearwardly from said housing and is disposed below thecentral opening in said pan whereby material is delivered by saidconsolidating augers to the opening in said pan and into said collectingmeans where the material is compacted and packaged.

10. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 9, wherein said collectingmeans comprises a rearwardly extending tube having an opening at theinner end thereof coextensive with the opening in said pan, a compactingauger rotatably mounted in said tube, packaging means connected to theouter end of said tube and clamping means on said tube for releasablyconnecting said packaging means to the tube.

11. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said pickup meanscomprises a plurality of flail elements mounted for rotation with atransversely extending shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, saidflail elements severing and lifting material from the ground fordelivery to said shredding means.

12. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said pickup meanscomprises a plurality of brush elements rotatably mounted on atransversely extending shaft.

1. Mobile apparatus for collecting grass and leaf material comprising,in combination, a housing; pickup means mounted in said housing forlifting material from the ground as the apparatus moves thereacross anddirecting the material upwardly therefrom; shredding means disposedgenerally above said pickup means for receiving material therefrom, saidshredding means having a plurality of stationary blades and a pluralityof shredder blades mounted on a transversely extending shaft rotatablymounted in said housing, said blades mounted on said shaft beingcooperative with said stationary blades for shredding the crop material;consoliDating means disposed adjacent said shredding means and adaptedto receive material therefrom and comprising a transversely extendingpan having an opening disposed centrally therein and a pair of augersrotatably mounted in said housing above said pan for moving materialinwardly toward said central opening; and collecting means including arearwardly extending tube having an opening at the inner end thereofcoextensive with the opening in said pan, a compacting auger rotatablymounted in said tube and packaging means disposed about the outer end ofsaid tube for receiving the compacted material.
 2. Mobile apparatus, asrecited in claim 1, wherein said pickup means comprises a plurality offlail elements rotatably about a shaft mounted in said housing to severand lift material from the ground.
 3. Mobile apparatus, as recited inclaim 1, wherein said pickup means comprises brush elements rotatableabout a shaft mounted in said housing for lifting material from theground.
 4. A grass and leaf-packaging machine adapted to pick up andpackage grass, leaves, and other similar material, comprising incombination: a wheel-supported housing; hitch means extending forwardlyof said housing for attaching said machine to a prime mover; pickupmeans rotatably mounted in said housing for lifting material from theground and directing the material to shredding means disposed in saidhousing upwardly and rearwardly of said pickup means, said shreddingmeans comprising a plurality of stationary blades and a plurality ofshredding blades mounted on a transversely extending shaft rotatablymounted in said housing; consolidating means disposed rearwardly of saidshredding means for receiving shredded material therefrom and conveyingthe material inwardly of said housing, said consolidating means beingdisposed transversely to the direction of travel of said machine andcomprising a pan mounted in said housing and extending inwardlytherefrom, said pan having a central opening therein and a pair ofaugers rotatably mounted in said housing about said pan for movingmaterial inwardly towards the central opening of said pan; collectingmeans extending rearwardly from said housing and disposed below thecentral opening in said pan, whereby material is delivered by saidconsolidating augers to the opening in said pan and into said collectingmeans where the material is compacted and packaged, said collectingmeans comprising a rearwardly extending tube having an opening at theinner end thereof coextensive with the opening in said pan, a compactingauger rotatably mounted in said tube, and packaging means connected tothe outer end of said tube and clamping means on said tube forreleasably connecting said packaging means to said tube.
 5. A grass andleaf-packaging machine, as recited in claim 4, wherein said pickup meanscomprises a plurality of flail elements mounted for rotation with atransversely extending shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, saidflail elements severing and lifting material from the ground fordelivery to said shredding means.
 6. A grass and leaf-packaging machine,as recited in claim 4, wherein said pickup means comprises a pluralityof brush elements rotatably mounted on a transversely extending shaft.7. Mobile apparatus for collecting grass and leaf material comprising,in combination, a wheel-supported housing, pickup means rotatablymounted in a forward portion of said housing for lifting material fromthe ground as the apparatus moves thereacross and delivering thematerial to shredding means disposed in said housing upwardly andrearwardly of said pickup means, said shredding means comprising aplurality of stationary blades and a plurality of shredder bladesmounted on a transversely extending shaft rotatably mounted in saidhousing, consolidating means disposed rearwardly of said shredding meansfor receiving shredded material therefrom and conveying the materialinwardly of said housing for delivery to a rearwardly extendingcollecting means whereiN the material is compacted and packaged. 8.Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said consolidatingmeans is disposed transversely to the direction of travel of saidapparatus over the ground and comprises a pan mounted in said housingand extending inwardly therefrom, said pan having a central openingtherein, and a pair of augers rotatably mounted in said housing abovesaid pan for moving material inwardly toward the central opening of saidpan.
 9. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 8, wherein said collectingmeans extends rearwardly from said housing and is disposed below thecentral opening in said pan whereby material is delivered by saidconsolidating augers to the opening in said pan and into said collectingmeans where the material is compacted and packaged.
 10. Mobileapparatus, as recited in claim 9, wherein said collecting meanscomprises a rearwardly extending tube having an opening at the inner endthereof coextensive with the opening in said pan, a compacting augerrotatably mounted in said tube, packaging means connected to the outerend of said tube and clamping means on said tube for releasablyconnecting said packaging means to the tube.
 11. Mobile apparatus, asrecited in claim 7, wherein said pickup means comprises a plurality offlail elements mounted for rotation with a transversely extending shaftrotatably mounted in said housing, said flail elements severing andlifting material from the ground for delivery to said shredding means.12. Mobile apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said pickup meanscomprises a plurality of brush elements rotatably mounted on atransversely extending shaft.